Auction:  Greg Mumford reported.  This year’s auction will need everyone to be active in seeking items.  Over the past three years we have netted less each year with $40K, $47K and $54K.  This is money that is directed to service.  Bingo money will be down due to the closure, so this is our main opportunity to make money for the club to use in service. 
There has been an idea floated to promote purchasing gift certificates from businesses rather than simply counting on them to donate.  John Farrow will be drafting a special message to our honourary members and former members of the club about this.  There may also be former members who are still in business and able to contribute.  John is also going to approach donors who haven’t participated in a number of years.
Murray reviewed sponsorships, with Rotarians who were present.  If you have ideas for sponsorships this information needs to be given to Murray. 
Greg reviewed all of the available support tools, and asked that everyone keep him updated on the status of donors.
 
Membership:  Ana reported on membership initiatives.  We should be inviting people to see who we are and what we do.  We would like to aim for diversity, equity and inclusion, recognizing that being a member of Rotary is about doing something meaningful for ourselves as well as service to others.
The Rotary in Kingston website will be showcasing all of the clubs for the community, and it is hoped that it will drive membership.
The membership committee is building a strategy for the year.  We will be inviting speakers to be members.  Becoming a Friend of Rotary, for some is a lead in to becoming a full member.  Last year, two Friends of Rotary became Rotarian members.
The Rotary in Kingston website will make it possible for community members to see the different club profiles, and there will be links to each club website.
Our meeting agendas with the link to Zoom are being sent out to our honourary members as well as Friends of Rotary.
 
National Committee:
Robert Reid reported.  There is a strong committee this year.  Last year we invested all but $28 of the budget, and this year we will have about $8,600.  Sean Goodall is a new member, and there are three Friends of Rotary on the committee.  (Amanda Stolk, Mike Amesse and Katie Koopman)
The club bursary at SLC now has a principle value of $40,000, as $12,000 has been added over the last several years.  Before any more money is added to this, we will be investigating whether the current situation has had a significant effect on it.  It is difficult to be in contact with the student recipients due to privacy rules.
The committee is interested in participating in the Tipi Moza project again this year in collaboration with the Community Service Committee.
There have been conversations with True North Aid, and there are two projects that are of interest.  They are sending activity packages aimed at children of northern communities, and also masks.  Katie Koopman has referred two more seamstresses to Ana, and there will be 250 masks to send north.
It was noted that John Farrow has a supply of masks and bandanas at Kingston Dodge.  If you have ideas about further distribution of these items, please inform John.
Focus Forward for Indigenous Youth may have another project that we can become involved in.  This is the organization that had the greenhouse project on Manitoulin Island.
We have given $5,000 of the $10,000 needed for the orchard at No. 9 Gardens.  Trees will be planted that are mature enough that they should bear fruit in a year or two.  We are hoping to be able to get student involvement in the planting.
Don’t forget that September 30th is Orange Shirt Day.  You can order a shirt (if you don’t already have one) up to August 15th.
The National Committee will be addressing support of the auction at future meetings.
 
International Service:
John Gale reported.  Most of this year’s budget was committed prior to June 30th, due to a change in the matching formula used by The Foundation.  There are currently three projects of interest. 
One is an equipment upgrade to four government schools in India.  This is a $50,000 project and our involvement is $3,000.  Another is equipment for a maternity health centre in western Uganda.  Both of these have been submitted to TRF.
A breast screening project in India was approved last year, and we are committed to $5,000.  This is already being reviewed at TRF.
We have requests from three clubs to become sister clubs.  These are Madras East, Madras Coromandel, and Madras Channapatna.  We will do the ceremonies on Zoom. 
Madras Coromandel is going to be celebrating Rotarians there who are members of the Arch Klumph Society.  They both have 10 years of service, and this is a very active Rotary Club. 
Greta presented an update on the Sechaba Project of the Morningside Club of Johannesburg, in association with the Early Care Foundation.  Our commitment is $1,500.  The project is located in a very poor area that has been affected badly by the pandemic.  Greta showed a video that explains the project.  View at www.sechabasupportproject.org.
 
Community Service:
Bill Egnatoff reported.  The committee will be discussing a number of topics.  These are whether to hold the fall call for grant proposals, whether we should consider another priorities survey, collaboration with other clubs, or other organizations, hands on opportunities.  We should be careful to consider projects and not underwriting the running of other organizations.  Could we couple fundraising to a specific project?  Bill had a very good discussion with a new member of the Frontenac Club, and who is very enthusiastic about community service.  One of our new members, Sean Goodall is also very interested in community service.
It was suggested that a discussion of these topics and how we will do community service should be formalized on the agenda of a future club meeting, as all members should have input.
 
Rotary FAR Project:
John Gale reported.  The money has been received from TRF, a coordinator has been hired, and we should be receiving invoices from Pathways to Education.  The mentorship training has happened and now individual interviews of future mentors is taking place.  Updates will be sent as needed to all of our partners and TRF.  A steering committee will be established.  An Interac Club is planned for Pathways to Education.
 
Foundation:
As time ran out, John Farrow will bring his report to our meeting next week.